Guest guest Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 Light and Love It is said that He is Vishnu's eighth incarnation who is called the Purnavatar - one who had all the attributes of Vishnu. It is also real to conclude that Swami's three incarnations (previous, present and next) represent the ninth, triple incarnation of Vishnu in extremely complex age of Kali Juga. It is also real to conclude that the present Divine incarnation carries the matrix of information belonging to the all previous incarnations. This matrix is as a divine ladder where every footstep to the new stage as 'remembers' the footsteps from the older stages. So pictorially Swami is as Krishna, as Vishnu, as Shiva, as Buddha, etc. By Swami all previous and present and future names are His. The reality is One an endless and eternal inertwined Divine Grid what appears in different times, in different forms, in different places... On the holy day of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, 27th August it is good to remember some historical facts and legends connected with Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna, was born in Mathura, a sity of temples and ghats on the west bank of river Yamuna. It is located at the heart of Brajbhoomi, 145 km south-east of Delhi. The day of Krishna's birth is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan. Main celebrations take place at the places associated with the life of Krishna, like Mathura, Vrindavan and Dwarka. Krishna remains the most endearing deity of Hinduism. His devotees worship him with the firm belief that he would rush to their rescue in their moments of crisis. Some data about Mathura In ancient times, Krishna's birthtown Mathura bustled with activity, being located on important trade routes that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman empire; northwards via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and the Silk Route and eastwards to China. In the 5th century BC, it was counted among the 16 metropolises of the time. It remained a centre of power during the Mauryan and Gupta periods. Emperor Ashok built many Buddhist monuments in and around Mathura in 3rd century BC. Mathura became the centre of a distinct school of art between 1st century BC and 1st century AD. Trade and commerce flourished during the rule of Kushanas and under the rule of Kanishka. In 11th century AD, Mahmud Ghazni destroyed many Buddhist and Hindu shrines around Mathura. The city suffered further attacks in the following centuries and came under British rule in 1804. Mathura is today an important place of pilgrimage. Mathura is adorned with many wonderful temples. The prison cell where Krishna is believed to have been born still exists. This beautiful Katra Kesha Dev temple has been built over this and is venerated as the Krishna janmasthan. Another beautiful temple located on the Mathura-Vrindavan road is called Gita Mandir. The entire Bhagwad Gita (Geetha) - the most sacred book of Hinduism is inscribed on its walls. The most beautiful image of Lord Krishna is in the Dwarkadheesh temple, built in 1815 by a wealthy devotee, Seth Gokuldas Parikh, Treasurer of the state of Gwalior. Closely associated with the life of Lord Krishna, Mathura also has some ancient Shiva temples. The Bhuteshwar Mahadev temple, the Gokarneshwar temple, the Rangeshwar Mahadev temple and the Pipaleshwar Mahadev temple are chief among them. Mathura is also the land of some sacred water sources, called kund. It is believed that Mathura was home to 159 ancient kunds. Of these only four survive today. These include the elegant Shiv Tal, the famous Potara Kund, the Balbhadra and the Saraswati kund. River Yamuna near Mathura is a repository of the legends associated with Krishna. The river bank is embellished with stone steps leading to the surface of the water. These are called ghats and each ghat has a story associated with it. The city of Mathura is spread on the right bank of the Yamuna and the ghats, temple spires and archways provide a wonderful view from the opposite bank. It is believed that the ghats were built at the sites of ancient ashrams, where the great sages performed their penances. Today they are crowded with pilgrims who visit these sacred sites for the ritual dip in the water. Of the 25 ghats that exist today, Vishram Ghat is the most important. It is believed that Lord Krishna rested here after killing the tyrant Kansa. The elegant temples of Mathura, the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples are situated near Vishram Ghat. The baithak of the great Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is also nearby. The arati at Vishram Ghat in the evening is an unforgettable sight. Devotees float tiny earthen lamps in the river and the dark waters look studded with little flickering flames. Time and again, this sacred site was ravaged by the invaders. During the reign of Sikander Lodhi, it was restored by two Vaishnavite saints, Keshav Kashmiri and Vallabhacharya. On the other hand, it was patronised during Akbar's reign when many temples were repaired and embellished. Some legends and events from Krishna's life. The ritual, connected with the legend. Krishna was the eighth child of Vasudev and Devaki, the imprisoned king and queen of Mathura. Kans, Devki's brother and usurper of the kingdom, had killed seven of Vasudev's children and hence, Krishna was taken to Nand and Yashoda, immediately after birth. So Krishna - a prince of the Yadava clan was brought up in the rural environs of Gokul and Vrindavan to protect him from the persecution of his maternal uncle, Kans. Krishna's foster parents, Nand and Yashoda, loved him as if he was their own child. He grew up among the cowherds. Krishna defeated many demons sent by Kansa during his childhood. He was a very affectionate child and was loved by all, despite his mischievous nature. The legend tells that as a child, Lord Krishna was very fond of curd and butter. He would gather his friends and they would steal butter from the houses of the milkmaids of Vrindavan. To protect their curd and butter from this gang of naughty children, the milkmaids kept it in a pot and hung it from the ceiling of their houses. Today's practice of Dahi Handi ritual on the day after Janmashtami is the same challenge posed by the women of a locality to the young men of their neighbourhood. The plan for Dahi Handi begins much before Janmashtami. Contribution is collected from every household in the locality. The day after Janmashtami, women buy large amounts of flattened rice ( poha ), curds, sugar and pickles. The poha , curds and sugar is mixed together to form dahi-poha , a dish that was said to be a favourite of Lord Krishna. A large earthen pot is then filled with dahi-poha. Tangy pickle is placed in the centre. The pot is decorated on the outside with flowers and leaves. As an added incentive, currency notes are tied to the pot. This pot is then hung high up in an open ground. It is a challenge to the youth of the locality to claim this pot. As soon as the pot is hung, they arrive at the ground which is teeming with spectators, by this time. The youth take a look at the pot hanging high, gauge its height and begin to form a human pyramid to reach it. But the task is not easy. It is the privilege of the young girls of the locality to see to it that the boys do not find their target too easy. The girls are ready with buckets of cold water and as soon as the human pyramid begins to take shape, splash goes the water! Bucket after bucket is poured on the boys amidst roars of laughter and shouts of encouragement from the crowd. However, boys go on adding tier after tier to their pyramid. Finally, the most agile boy climbs like a cat over the bodies of his friends forming the pyramid. He reaches the summit, carrying a stick in his hands. He takes the aim and with great accuracy, breaks the pot. Down pours the dahi-poha and there is a scramble to get the money and the prasad. The crowd watches this ritual with bated breath. When Krishna was about sixteen-years-old, he went to Mathura and challenged the tyrant Kansa. He killed him in a combat, released his parents and restored the primitive republican form of government that had been prevalent in Mathura. He headed an army that repelled the forces of mighty tyrants Jarasandh 17 times. Later, Krishna established a powerful kingdom at Dwarka on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Pandavas, sons of Kunti and rulers of Indraprastha, always sought Krishna's advice. Krishna was a close friend of Arjuna. Krishna established dharma or moral order throughout India by eliminating many tyrants like Kansa, Jarasandh and Shishupal. During the Mahabharat war, he was Arjuna's charioteer and expounded the philosophy of Geeta, which gives some basic tenets of Hinduism. Krishna, Radha and Rukmini The symbol of eternal love is - Radha and Krishna. This love story has reverberated throughout India through literature, art, myths and folk tales and has acquired the nature of an archetype. When Krishna grew into a teenager, his charming personality, his fearless demeanor and affectionate nature won him many friends. Krishna was also an exellent flautist and the milkmaids of Gokul were in love with this handsome prince. One such milkmaid was Radha who was so engrossed in her love for Krishna that she lived only for him. Krishna and Radha spent many happy days in Gokul and Vrindavan. However, Krishna was no ordinary youth. Being an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he had a specific mission in life. Radha was grief-stricken when Krishna left Gokul, never to return back. Krishna was aware of her feelings but he could not turn back now. Years later, when Krishna's fame as the restorer of justice had spread far and wide, the milkmaids of Gokul decided to visit him. They travelled to Dwarka and sought Krishna's audience. Although a mighty king now, Krishna had not forgotten the friends of his youth. The meeting of the separated lovers was an occasion to celebrate. But now, Radha could not bear a separation for the second time. She requested Krishna to accept her as his beloved. The legend has it that Radha disappeared in Krishna's body like a flame unites with another flame. Princess Rukmini too was in love with Krishna, the most charming prince of the time. Rukmini wanted to marry this brave prince but was helpless in the opposition from her parents and brother. In those days, there were no easy means of communication. How could a princess in Amaravati convey her wishes to the prince in Dwarka? However, Rukmini's marriage was fixed with Shishupal. But Rukmini was determined and devised a careful plan. She wrote a letter to Krishna in which she poured out her heart. She expressed her deep feelings and requested Krishna to come and take her away to Dwarka She also suggested that the ideal time for elopement would be when she would visit the temple of a goddess on the outskirts of the town on the morning of her marriage. When Krishna received the letter, he was overwhelmed by Rukmini's love for him. He prepared his chariot and rode nonstop to Amaravati. He reached the temple at the appointed time and assured the waiting princess. As Krishna and Rukmini rode out of the town, the news of Rukmini's elopement spread like wild fire. Her brother Rukmi led a huge army to block their escape. But Krishna was a great warrior and repelled the army single-handedly. In the end, he captured Rukmi and pardoned him only at the behest of Rukmini. When Krishna and Rukmini reached Dwarka, there was a great celebration and they were married amidst blessings of the elders. Rukmini remained Krishna's most beloved wife. It is said that she was none other than goddess Lakshmi, the eternal consort of Lord Vishnu. Janmashtami ceremony and celebrations Celebrations for Janmashtami begin a month in advance with a special kind of temple decoration called Ghatas. For this, the entire temple is decorated in one colour. Even the idol of Lord Krishna is dressed in the same colour. The main ceremony at the temples of Krishna takes place at midnight. The main puja is offered at midnight because Lord Krishna was born at midnight. The idol of baby Krishna is bathed with perfumed water and panchamrit , a mixture of five items. It is then placed in a silver cradle and offered sandalwood paste, haldi-kumkum (turmeric powder and vermilion), flowers, incense and naivedyam. Devotional songs are sung and the devotees join in the prayers amidst a devotionally charged atmosphere. After the arati , prasad is distributed amongst the devotees. Devotees observe a fast on the day of Janmashtami. They have their meal at midnight after the puja. The image of Krishna is placed in a beautifully decorated cradle. Women sing lullabies and bhajans for young Krishna. Krishna is said to have organised raasleela (dance-dramas) in his youth. On these occasions, Krishna and the milkmaids spent moon-lit nights on the bank of the Yamuna, singing and dancing. Temples are beautifully decorated and illuminated. The idol of Lord Krishna is adorned with special costume and a crown studded with peacock feathers. Tableaus depicting various incidents from Krishna's life are displayed at the temples. At the temples, fairs are organised on the day of Janmashtami and devotees wait in long queues to have a darshan of the deity. In Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, the main celebrations take place at the Dwarakadheesh temple. References: http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/837752.cms http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379207971.cms http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379363472.cms http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379192931.cms http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379078592.cms http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/-1379228143.cms Namaste - Reet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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